We're approaching the end! I'm so happy that you've stuck with me! I really feel undeserving but you're still here! ^_^ Thanks so much! Anyway, this chapter is going to be fun! More of Okita's past! Oh, yeah. MORE angst. *evil grin*
Saitou looked towards Okita calmly. He was always so happy these days. Before he had seemed nothing but someone determined to kill; now he seemed to have a different reason to live. He remembered seeing this mood before though. He remembered it from back when shewas still here. And it hadn't ended well.
He approached Okita. "Okita-san, can I ask you something?
Okita looked up. "Mm?"
"I know about you visiting Sei-san," Saitou began. "It's not hard to see. Everyone knows you must have met someone. Although, they're all saying it was someone from Shimabara.
Okita blushed. "W-well, she's only a friend..."
"Come to your senses. Any smart person would know she's not just a friend to you. She's important. Whether you love her or not is your business but I can tell she's more then just a friend."
Okita smiled softly. "She's... she makes me feel like no matter what happens something good will come out of it and it'll be okay. No matter what, she's always smiling. She never gives up. She makes me hope." Okita realized what all he had said and blushed deeply. He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "U-um, but if you want me to back off because, you know… um... I will... I'm sorry if I've offended you."
Saitou cocked his head slightly. "Is that how it is? You're important to her too, you know. She treasures that hand slot string like nothing else. She's ready for training hours in advance. She practices after you've left, saying to her self she has to get better to impress you."
"Saitou-san... nothing gets past you... where do you find time to learn all this...?" Okita asked. It scared him how much Saitou could pick up.
"Okita-san, that's not the point. It doesn't matter if I'm the one who found out, what's important is what this is turning into. You have to be careful. If you get too close you'll get burned, remember? Watch your back and don't get too close. Just recall what happened last time. Do you remember what she did? Don't let that happen again. Don't torture yourself like that."
Okita paused, his eyes widening. Of course he remembered. How could he forget it? That moment had terrified him to the core.
"Soujirou-kun! The cherry blossoms are falling! Look!" Miko called, waving him over. "Aren't they beautiful?"
Soujirou nodded. "Yes." he caught a petal in his hand. "Here," he said, giving it to Miko.
Miko gasped. "F-for me?" She accepted it, gently taking it from him. "Thank you." She smiled softly.
"Gosh, don't get excited. They're all over. It doesn't take much to catch one." Okita chuckled.
"Well, don't get mad at me for saying thank you!" Miko said, quickly. "I appreciate it, okay? Is that a crime?"
Okita smiled again. "Right... sometimes you do the weirdest things Miko-san, you know that?"
Miko giggled. "Of course I do! But that doesn't bother me, you see. If people don't like me then whatever. There's no point in not being myself. After all, if I pretend to be someone else then I wouldn't be Miko, would I? No, then they'd be friends with a fake Miko. And that's just stupid. Because then I really would have no friends."
Okita loved her for that. She wasn't afraid to be herself. She could be who she wanted and not worry what others thought. He envied that in her. "I'm hungry."
"Again?" Miko asked, holding back a laugh. "You're always hungry!" She sighed. "Okay, ramen sounds good right now... I'll treat in thanks for this." She held up the cherry blossom petal.
Okita smiled. "Thanks!"
OoOoO
"Soujirou-kun." Miko smiled at him innocently. "I need to tell you something."
"What is it?" Okita asked.
"Do you... do you love me...?" Miko stared at her feet, determined not to meet his eyes.
Okita blushed fiercely. "Wh-what?"
"You heard me."
"M-Miko -san... You're a great friend and I probably..." he paused, blushing deeper, "I probably do love you, but I can't be with you because, well... I can't have any ties to anyone but Kondou-sensei. Or they're a distraction. I already spend too much time with you."
"Kondou-san? He's the only reason that you won't be with me?"
"Miko-san, it's not like that. You have to understand."
"I love you, Soujirou-kun. And I won't let anything strand in our way!" With that, she ran away.
Okita knew what she meant. She was going to kill Kondou. He knew it. But he didn't believe it. It was probably just another one of her jokes. He left feeling uneasy.
OoOoO
"What...?" Okita asked, terrified. "Kondou-sensei? When? How?"
"He was poisoned this morning," Yamanami explained carefully. He knew what Kondou meant to Okita.
"K-Kondou-sensei... Kondou-sensei...! Kondou-sensei!"
Okita gulped. It still haunted him, to this day. It was the only thing that could come close to bringing tears to his eyes. "Kondou-sensei..."
OoOoO
Saitou watched from far away. He would surely be careful now, wouldn't he? He didn't want Okita to go through that again. He didn't want to hear his screams anymore. He wanted him to be happy.
Aww… isn't Saitou nice… a bit too nice for Saitou-kun, but, one again, this is AU, Okita's character has changed and that has made him slightly more likeable to Saitou-kun. I feel like Taeko-sensei with the way she constantly says "It's a Shojo manga!" Only I say "It's AU!" But anyway, happy New Years, everyone!